Skilled Trades

30 articles

Diverse group of young Canadians training and working in skilled trades, representing the future of the workforce and Canada's infrastructure development.
Trades

Canada Launches $6B Program Addressing Skilled Trades Shortage

Canada's federal government just pledged up to $6 billion for a 'Team Canada Strong' program, aiming to train 100,000 new skilled trades workers by 2030-31.

Rick Donovan·July 18, 2026
Young Gen Z individuals confidently working in skilled trades, showcasing the high pay and rewarding career opportunities available in these fields.
Trades

Gen Z eyes skilled trades: 55% consider careers for high pay

Logan Bangert, a Gen Z worker, earns $80,000 to $90,000 a year repairing wind turbine blades, a salary many college graduates struggle to achieve, according to 아시아경제 .

Rick Donovan·July 17, 2026
Diverse group of young people learning and working in skilled trades, symbolizing the urgent need for new talent in the industry.
Trades

Skilled Trades Need 2.1 Million Workers by 2030. Attracting Talent in 2026 is Key.

Last year, nearly 600,000 jobs were posted for major skilled trades positions, yet only about 150,000 new workers entered the labor pool through apprenticeship programs.

Ben Foster·July 16, 2026
Skilled trades workers examining and choosing properly fitting personal protective equipment, highlighting the new OSHA mandate for individual fit in construction.
Safety

How to Choose Personal Protective Equipment for Skilled Trades

A revised OSHA rule now mandates that personal protective equipment (PPE) must properly fit each individual employee's body type in the construction industry.

Ben Foster·July 14, 2026
Adults and high school students participating in hands-on construction trades training programs at a new facility.
Trades

New construction trades training programs launch for adults and high schoolers

Lincoln Tech is investing $10 million into a new 36,000-square-foot training center in Maryland, signaling a significant expansion of construction trades training programs for adults.

Rick Donovan·July 14, 2026
Diverse individuals learning skilled trades like carpentry, plumbing, and electrical work, showcasing a commitment to future workforce development.
Industry

Lowe's Foundation invests $250 million in skilled trades training programs

The Lowe's Foundation plans to invest a quarter-billion dollars to train 250,000 skilled tradespeople by 2035, according to Lowe's Foundation .

Rick Donovan·July 14, 2026
An empty woodworking shop with tools, symbolizing a skills shortage and the concern for the future of craftsmanship.
Trades

Woodworking skills shortage threatens future projects

In 2023, hiring a single worker in the woodworking industry required 32% more job postings than in 2019, according to TradeandIndustryDev .

Scott Ramirez·July 14, 2026
Diverse trainees learning carpentry, electrical, and plumbing skills in a well-equipped, sunlit workshop, representing new opportunities in skilled trades.
Industry

Government Funds Boost Skilled Trades Training

The U.S. Department of Labor alone has injected over $162 million into expanding Registered Apprenticeships. This marks a national pivot towards bolstering the skilled trades workforce. This substanti

Rick Donovan·July 11, 2026
Skilled tradesperson working on a robotic arm in a high-tech workshop, with AI and automation data displayed holographically.
Industry

Automation and AI Won't Steal Skilled Trades Jobs. Here's Why.

Since late 2022, demand for robotics technicians has spiked an astonishing 107%, far outpacing growth in many white-collar sectors.

Ben Foster·July 10, 2026
Robotic arms and human skilled trades workers collaborating on complex AI infrastructure projects, highlighting the growing demand for talent.
Industry

AI automation impact on skilled trades jobs is booming, but talent pathways lag

The average time-to-hire for a skilled trades worker has now reached 56 days, two days longer than for desk-based professionals, signaling a profound shift in labor market demand.

Rick Donovan·July 9, 2026
Skilled trades workers, including electricians and plumbers, constructing a large, modern data center essential for the AI revolution.
Industry

AI Demands Trades Workers, But Skills Gap Threatens Data Center Boom

Nvidia's CEO Jensen Huang recently declared that hundreds of thousands of electricians and plumbers will be needed to build the data centers powering the AI revolution, according to Fortune .

Ben Foster·July 8, 2026
Diverse skilled trades workers collaborating on a major infrastructure project, symbolizing the urgent need and economic opportunity in the sector.
Services

Skilled trades: 2.1M jobs needed by 2030, $1T opportunity

A staggering $1 trillion in annual economic losses looms for the U.

Rick Donovan·July 6, 2026
Indian immigrant engineer looking stressed in an office versus a happy Indian immigrant tradesperson holding tools with pride in Australia.
Trades

Indian immigrants find trades pay well, rivaling engineering

An Indian man in Australia shared that plumbers there earn more respect than engineers do in India.

Rick Donovan·July 6, 2026
Diverse apprentices learning skilled trades with modern tools and equipment in a bright, collaborative training environment.
Trades

HCC Apprenticeship Program Secures New Funding for Skilled Trades

Houston Community College recently secured a $17 million investment from Bloomberg Philanthropies , signaling a major push to expand skilled trades through apprenticeships.

Rick Donovan·July 5, 2026
Diverse students training in HVAC, plumbing, and electrical trades at NTI, highlighting accelerated programs to combat skilled labor shortage.
Trades

NTI Accelerates Skilled Trades Training to Combat Shrinking Labor Workforce

In Texas, up to 78% of contractors struggle to fill specialized trade positions, according to HVACInsider .

Ben Foster·July 3, 2026
Exhausted biomedical technician in a dimly lit hospital corridor, facing an inactive MRI machine, symbolizing the impact of burnout on healthcare infrastructure.
Industry

Healthcare burnout trends affecting skilled trades workforce

A major metropolitan hospital recently faced a week-long delay in repairing its critical MRI machine.

Ben Foster·July 2, 2026
Experienced tradesperson mentoring an apprentice on a complex task, symbolizing the transfer of skills and knowledge to close the skilled trades gap.
Trades

Mentorship programs are key to closing the skilled trades gap by 2026.

In 2018, Bill 47 shifted the journeyperson-to-apprentice ratio from 3:1 to 1:1, dramatically expanding apprenticeship capacity nationwide.

Rick Donovan·July 1, 2026
Diverse group of trainees learning skilled trades like electrical and plumbing at Walmart's new Atlanta training hub.
Industry

Walmart opens Atlanta skilled trades training hub

Walmart now offers some internally trained technicians a pay range up to $51 per hour, a significant boost from typical retail wages.

Ben Foster·June 30, 2026
Experienced tradespeople mentoring young apprentices in a workshop, highlighting the importance of guidance in closing the skilled trades gap.
Trades

Mentorship Programs are Key to Bridging the Skilled Trades Gap by 2026

Despite a critical shortage of skilled trades workers, 35 percent of middle and high school parents believe vocational programs are only for 'high-achieving' students, revealing a deep-seated percepti

Rick Donovan·June 30, 2026
Young women in a construction camp learning to build planter boxes and wire light switches, gaining hands-on experience in skilled trades.
Trades

Girls construction camp inspires young women in skilled trades

On Wednesday, June 24, 2026, female high school students at Orange Technical College, West Campus, built planter boxes and wired light switches.

Rick Donovan·June 27, 2026
Diverse trainees learning fiber optic installation at Meta's Level-Up program, showcasing a modern approach to skilled trades education and career development.
Industry

Meta's $115M Academy Fights Skilled Trades Gap With New Training

In just seven days, Meta's Level-Up fiber installation training program received 35,000 applications.

Rick Donovan·June 27, 2026
Diverse Texans learning skilled trades like welding, carpentry, and electrical work in a modern training facility, highlighting workforce development initiatives.
Trades

Texas Gov. Abbott Boosts Skilled Trades Training for High-Demand Jobs

Governor Greg Abbott has directed four Texas state agencies to immediately overhaul workforce development programs.

Rick Donovan·June 26, 2026
Diverse group of women in skilled trades on a construction site, one pointing at a blueprint, symbolizing leadership and progress.
Trades

Women in Skilled Trades Face Stalled Leadership, Despite Gains

In 2024, tradeswomen in construction and extraction occupations reached 366,360, the highest percentage since 2015, according to Manufacturers Alliance .

Ben Foster·June 26, 2026
Electricians installing wiring in a futuristic data center, highlighting the crucial role of skilled trades in supporting AI infrastructure growth.
Trades

Nvidia CEO: AI boom needs 130,000 more electricians

The United States needs 130,000 more trained electricians by 2030, just to keep pace with AI infrastructure expansion.

Rick Donovan·June 25, 2026
Diverse skilled trades workers collaborating on a construction site, symbolizing Ontario's economic stability and future growth.
Trades

Skilled trades education is key to Ontario's 2026 economic stability.

Ontario's economy is bleeding $24 billion annually due to a critical shortage of skilled trades workers.

Rick Donovan·June 22, 2026
Young Indian student choosing between a sterile MBA office and a dynamic, hands-on skilled trades workshop, symbolizing a career choice.
Trades

India's CEA Urges Students Toward Skilled Trades Over MBAs

India's Chief Economic Adviser V.

Rick Donovan·June 22, 2026
Students in TSTC uniforms learn diesel engine repair from a Cummins technician in a state-of-the-art workshop, highlighting the expanded partnership.
Automotive Services

Cummins Expands Diesel Program Partnership with TSTC

Select students entering Texas State Technical College's Diesel Equipment program may now receive an employment guarantee from Cummins distributors before their training even begins, according to Uti

Luis Ortega·June 21, 2026
A split image showing a robotic arm processing data on one side and skilled tradespeople working on a construction site on the other, illustrating AI's impact on different job sectors.
Industry

AI Boosts Skilled Trades, Threatens White-Collar Tech Jobs

Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff announced in September 2025 that AI advancements eliminated 4,000 customer support roles, according to LockedInAI .

Rick Donovan·June 20, 2026
Robots and AI interfaces performing skilled trade tasks, with concerned young workers observing the changing landscape of the industry.
Industry

AI threatens skilled trades' entry-level jobs, creating a future talent crisis.

Meta launched a $115 million training program for AI infrastructure jobs, offering free, five-week courses with guaranteed employment for graduates, according to Memeburn .

Rick Donovan·June 20, 2026
Skilled tradespeople working on a construction site contrasted with a glowing AI interface, symbolizing the future of work and automation.
Industry

AI won't replace skilled trades; white-collar jobs are at risk.

Headlines warn of AI replacing factory workers, but a recent report found human lawyers now spend 70% less time reviewing contracts at major firms, thanks to AI.

Rick Donovan·June 19, 2026